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In his early years as king of Israel, Solomon truly depended upon God. The responsibility of leading the nation overwhelmed him, causing him to cry out: “Now, O LORD, my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a child and do not know how to carry out my duties” (1 Kings 3:7). Solomon begged God for a discerning heart so he could govern the people well and distinguish between good and evil.
God’s response was lavish: “I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be” (1 Kings 3:12). Moreover, God gave Solomon blessings for which he did not ask. Sadly, in spite of God’s abundant provision, Solomon’s reign did not end as it started. Over time his heart turned toward other gods. By the end, the nation was on the verge of division and Solomon viewed life as meaningless.
What went wrong? Against God’s command, he married foreign wives. Eventually his wives and their idol worship turned his heart away from God (1 Kings 11:4). This exception ultimately led to his downfall.
We too are led astray when we allow areas of disobedience to exist in our lives. Sin can be enticing, luring us to places we never intended to go and exacting a price we never intended to pay. But we no longer have to choose disobedience. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. He lovingly reveals sin to us and gives us the strength to walk out of it as we ask Him. No sin in your life is exempt from God’s power!
Is there a sin you’re allowing to linger? Will you turn in repentance from it with no exceptions today?
